The Eastern Thunder God: The Rise and Glory of State Grid

The Eastern Thunder God: The Rise and Glory of State GridWhen we talk about "State Grid", we all know it's powerful, but its true strength goes far beyond our imagination! If we had to use one word to describe it, it would be "Eastern Thunder God" on Earth!Before the 1990s, power outages might have been considered normal. But now, it's the other way around - a power outage would be an unusual event! Even "former US Energy Secretary" Steven Chu said in 2023, "The US can learn from China!" It's safe to say that we've become the world leader in electricity

The Eastern Thunder God: The Rise and Glory of State Grid

When we talk about "State Grid", we all know it's powerful, but its true strength goes far beyond our imagination! If we had to use one word to describe it, it would be "Eastern Thunder God" on Earth!

Before the 1990s, power outages might have been considered normal. But now, it's the other way around - a power outage would be an unusual event! Even "former US Energy Secretary" Steven Chu said in 2023, "The US can learn from China!" It's safe to say that we've become the world leader in electricity. And behind the power grids of many countries, you can find our "shadow"! Some netizens even say, "If we pull the switch, the whole world will shut down!" However, what we don't know is that the "peace and quiet" we enjoy now is only possible because someone is carrying a heavy burden behind the scenes.

The humiliation we suffered in the process of developing our electricity system is "too numerous to mention"! What exactly did we go through in those years? How powerful is the "Eastern Thunder God" today?

An Overblown Power Grid: A Reality Like a LitRPG

If there's anything in China that can be described as a "litRPG", then "State Grid" definitely qualifies, and it's the most "satisfying" kind! Do you know why "State Grid" is not called "China Grid"? It's because it manages the power grids of several countries! If we pull the switch, five Asian countries will go dark. If we withdraw our electricity technology, 11 power companies in other countries will face closure.

And ultra-high voltage transmission is just one of the aces up State Grid's sleeve. Besides this, State Grid holds 110,000 patents, even more than many people's savings... And China's electricity prices haven't increased for more than ten years, something that is hard to find in other countries! In comparison to the US experiencing a cold snap and electricity prices soaring 60 times, we're incredibly conscientious!

The Chinese Power Grid, Illuminating the Most Remote Corners

But this is only part of our powerful power grid. Have you ever seen a row of power poles stretching for dozens of kilometers, finally delivering electricity to a few households deep in the mountains? A netizen once witnessed power poles acting as bridge pillars and power lines as bridges, connecting the two sides of a mountain ravine! They couldn't help but wonder if those few households' electricity bills would ever cover the cost of building the power grid! It seems unrealistic, but it actually happens in China! And such scenes are numerous in China!

Did you know that 24/7 power is actually quite extraordinary? In many countries, even today, power outages are frequent, even in the US! But in China, with its vast land of 9.6 million square kilometers, State Grid ensures that every Chinese citizen, for 365 days a year, enjoys uninterrupted power. This is simply incredible to foreigners, but for us, it's normal!

Nowadays, the reliability rate of urban power supply in State Grid can reach 99.97%, and that of rural power supply can reach 99.84%. In a nutshell, wherever there are people, there is electricity! But this powerful State Grid has been making a loss all along, because China is vast, and many areas are sparsely populated. However, the state has always adhered to the principle of "leaving no one behind", sparing no effort and cost in construction! This has led to China achieving the highest electricity coverage rate in the world! From kerosene lamps everywhere to near-universal electricity coverage today, China has created this miracle in the shortest possible time! Even in the most remote parts of our country, the lights can guide people home!

It seems impressive, doesn't it? But this is all achieved by our "blood and tears" over decades!

The "Blood and Tears" of Electricity Development

Just a few decades ago, forget patents and technology, China even had to rely on imports for the most basic electrical equipment. And we were at their mercy! They took advantage of our backward technology and would bundle anything they sold, no matter what kind of equipment it was. Otherwise, they wouldn't sell it! And that wasn't the worst of it. They only sold us their obsolete "equipment" and wouldn't even sell us a complete set, afraid we might learn their technology! But we were technically inferior and had to swallow our pride.

By the 1990s, China's power generation had reached 543 billion kilowatt-hours, which seemed quite impressive. But at the same time, the US had generated 2,958.2 billion kilowatt-hours, more than six times our output! And their population was only one-fifth of ours! Many people still remember power outages being a common occurrence regardless of where you lived.

Furthermore, most of China's power resources are concentrated in the northwest, while the highest electricity consumption is in the southeast. However, ultra-long-distance transmission leads to a lot of electricity waste! How to safely, efficiently, low-energy, and long-distance transport power from the west to the east was a huge problem!

Breaking the Blockade, Becoming the "Eastern Thunder God"

So in 2002, the state reorganized the power sector, creating State Grid! And they decided to conquer ultra-high voltage technology! You have to understand that the Soviet Union spent decades researching this technology and only managed to produce a half-finished product. Given China's technological level at the time, this endeavor was like "an elementary school student saying they're going to solve string theory!" Many Western countries laughed at us.

However, everyone might look down on you, but you still work the hardest! For 5,000 years of Chinese history, we've never been afraid of difficulties. If we don't have the conditions, we create them! We meet challenges head-on! So countless researchers, without any "stones to feel", gritted their teeth and crossed the river. Finally, in 2009, the world's first ultra-high voltage AC power project was officially put into operation! For the first time, we became the "stones" that other countries needed to consult.

In 2011, State Grid broke the Western blockade of flexible DC transmission technology! They then formulated 84 international standards! Since then, Chinese has become a symbol of the power system! State Grid has gone global! It stands at the forefront of the world! Becoming the undisputed "Eastern Thunder God"!

We wouldn't have achieved this without the "power people" who have been carrying a heavy burden behind the scenes for all these years! Thank you!

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